Stars On a Rainy Pavement
by theglassalchemist
Summary: Ino knew his words off by heart, just as she knew his face. She knew HIM. Now it was just time to let him know that...


"Ino, seriously, I'm going to just leave you here if you insist on waiting all night."

Ino sighed loudly, rolling her eyes at the pinkette. Now who was being over dramatic? She had never said she was going to wait all night just until he showed up. "Come on Sakura, it's not like we're the only ones here."

It was true, much to Ino's irritation, the line still trailed all the way down the street. She was, however, happy to see they were reasonably near the front. Turning back to her best friend/worst enemy, after quickly sticking her tongue out at the countless girls stuck behind them, she grinned at her.

"No, which is surprising." Sakura was doing that annoying thing where she acted like everyone around her was an idiot. Ino suspected this habit had come from spending too much time around Naruto who, admittedly, could be a bit of a moron sometimes. "I never thought I'd see so many people willing to waste their time on someone who most likely won't even show up."

Ino was about to comment how Sakura was still wasting her time on Sasuke, who wasn't exactly rushing over to the girl's house every free moment he had, but she held her tongue. In any case, she wasn't exactly one to talk. Although she had made a lot of effort to push down the feelings she'd had for the sulky raven, even though he totally had that bad boy vibe going for him right now.

Linking arms with the other Ino brushed a hand through her pale gold locks - hoping the light rain hadn't completely ruined her hair. "He will show up! I just know it!" She crooned, her azure orbs taking on that clouded quality they did when ever she talked about him. The Itachi Uchiha. The most famous singer of their time. "He adores his fans, you know?"

"Yeah, so you always say..." Sakura mumbled, throwing her a disbelieving glance. Ino took no notice though. Sakura was about as cynical as they come but she knew the truth, she had watched aaaall his interviews after all.

"He does," She pressed on, not that this would come as any surprise to Sakura. Ino could barely stop herself talking when it came to the topic of her number one idol. She didn't know if it was that haunted quality to his voice that pierced straight through her soul whenever she put on one of his CD's or those soft soft lashes that she gazed at every night... The poster was right above her bed, of course.

A shadow moved across one of the windows of the venue and the line was filled with a chorus of squeals, Ino's included which only deepened the scowl on Sakura's face.

"Ino, I'm cold and it's wet and I already got to the concert 12 hours early to wait in line to get into this thing with you so can we PLEASE go back to the hotel now?" Ino pinched the other lightly, an exaggerated pout forming on her lips. She hated it when the pinkette spoke to her like that and she always had trouble saying no to her but she was ready to stand her ground on this one.

"I know, I know but look Sakura, we were STILL half way down the line this morning! I told you we should have come earlier. I'm sure my dad would have let us borrow the tent if we needed it!"

Sakura gave her a dark look that said she hoped she was joking, which she most certainly wasn't but it was probably best to keep her mouth shut about that. "It'll be worth it, I promise." And she knew it would be. Itachi was perfect! Even a moment in his presence would be worth a lifetime of waiting and, she hadn't told her friend this part yet, if she had her way it would be a lot more than a moment.  
Ino knew it was stupid, she knew that, but she couldn't help feeling her and the broody singer were... kindred spirits. She would put his songs on while she drifted to sleep, listening as he sung of the pain that had darkened his days. She could feel that pain like she had known him all his life, like she had been through it all with him, and she was sure that the second their eyes met he would see that and if he didn't, well, she would have to tell him now, wouldn't she?

Ino wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hold back the inner (fangirl) romantic that was threatening to break through. Her goal was so close. She was about to meet - dare she say it? - her soul mate!

The sound of screams from somewhere infront of her dragged her from her daydreams - ones she was sure would soon become reality. Itachi had arrived. Ino gave Sakura that look, that 'I told you so' look and Sakura merely rolled her eyes once more. Ino herself did a lot of eye rolling as they waited for the line to dwindle down before them. These girls, who did they think they were? She listened as they screamed his name, shouts of 'I love you!' coming at him from all directions. Some even had the audacity to lift up there tops, shoving their chests in the raven's face as they forced him to sign their breasts. _Aiish, so tacky._

Oh well, they could scream and shout all they liked. She knew that she would be dignified. She had had the words planned out for weeks. Those words that would make him fall for her the way his lyrics had made her fall for him.

_Oh Itachi..._

Time dragged on as the seemingly endless queue moved forward at an annoyingly slow pace. _I'll let them have their moment_, she thought as a hand twisted around the chain of her locket, Itachi's picture inside.

As they drew closer and deep blue eyes caught their first glimps of the man she was going to marry, her heart thumped wildly in her chest. She hadn't thought it possible that he would look more beautiful in person but she had been wrong. No camera could ever do him justice, not even seeing him on stage compared to this. He was so close!

She turned to Sakura, ready to gush over the dark and mysterious beauty only a few meters away but it seemed the girl was rather preoccupied herself. Ino glared at her. Hard. The girl was on her phone! How could she be distracted at a time like this?! Ino's tongue tutted loudly at her though she wouldn't let Sakura's lack of enthusiasm bring her down for long. Not today.

Before she knew it there was only one group standing between her and him. For years she had felt there was so much keeping her from him and now he was right here.

_Oh, we will be so perfect together..._

As she peered at him between gaps in the small group of fans he even glanced up at her, a smile on his lips. It was miniscule, just a little upturn of the pointed corners of his slender lips, but it was enough. Ino knew what it meant, what they shared. While the last girl moved up to get her autograph Ino had to clench her fists to stop her hands from shaking. Her heart was in her throat but she knew the words so easily they would flow as the truest she'd ever spoken.

She stepped up to the barrier, there was still a little more than a foot between them but to Ino it felt as though they were touching. Skin to skin. His smile widened ever so slightly and he extended a hand to her, oh he could take her whole heart with him if he liked.

"Hey there, thank you for coming out tonight, what's your name?" His voice was as smooth as silk and it wrapped it's warmth around her as she savored the memory of every word. The first words he had ever spoken directly to her.

She smiled back at him, blue eyes still wide as she gazed at his dark ones, deeper than the ocean and she was oh so willing to drown in them. "I'm Ino," Her voice was quiet, as if they were alone together rather than here on this crowded street. "I- I love your music!"

* * *

"Oh Itachi! I love your music!" Sakura's laughter was warmer than the blonde had heard it in years though right now she really couldn't find the will to appreciate it as it bounced off the walls of their otherwise quiet hotel room. "3 hours of waiting and that's what you say?!"

Ino grabbed the pillow from behind her, whacking the other around the head with it.

"Shut-up, Billboard Brow."


End file.
